Queried Quotes & Sayings

I recently asked more than seventy eminent researchers if they would have done I their work differently if they had thought Darwin's theory was wrong. The responses were all the same: no. I also examined the outstanding biodiscoveries of the past century: the discovery of the double helix; the characterization of the ribosome: the mapping of genomes; research on medications and drug reactions: improvements in food production and sanitation; the development of new surgeries; and others. I even queried biologists working in areas where one would expect the Darwinian paradigm to have most benefited research, such as the emergence of resistance to antibiotics and pesticides. Here, as elsewhere, I found that Darwin's theory had provided no discernible guidance, but was brought in, after the breakthroughs, as an interesting narrative gloss. — Philip S. Skell

I don't know that I will ever make a political speech again." Would he care to qualify that statement? one reporter queried. "Yes," Roosevelt laughingly said. "I won't say never. — Doris Kearns Goodwin

Shall we return to the dining room?" Anthony queried. "I imagine you're hungry, and if we tarry much
longer, Colin is sure to
have eaten our host out of house and home."
Eloise nodded. "Either that, or they've all killed him by now."
Anthony paused to consider that. "It would save me the expense of a wedding."
"Anthony!"
"It's a joke, Eloise," he said, giving his head a weary shake. "Come along, now. Let's make sure your Sir
Phillip still resides
among the ranks of the living. — Julia Quinn

I hate it when you tell me shit like this after the plane has already taken off. Would it kill you to warn me ahead of time so I can tell you no freakn' way?" "And have you miss out on the adventure of a lifetime? Buddy, have you seen the images of the three girls we're supposed to rescue?" "Hot?" Joel queried, his blues eyes lighting with hope. "Very. And grateful. Don't forget very, very grateful when we rescue them from the wild men who took them." Lips — Eve Langlais

Today's plans have changed, babe," he announced before taking a sip of his, and I looked at him. "Plans?" I asked, not knowing we actually had plans. "Yeah, gotta be at George's in an hour." "George's?" I queried. "Though, thinkin' this is good. You can meet him, feel him out." "Meet him? Feel him out?" I parroted. — Kristen Ashley

They wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters. — Douglas Adams

Where do think the money went?" he repeated.
"Guns?" asked Jesper.
"Ships?" queried Inej.
"Bombs?" suggested Wylan.
"Political bribes?" offered Nina. They all looked at Matthias. "This is where you tell us how awful we are," she whispered.
He shrugged. "They all seem like practical choices. — Leigh Bardugo

Have any of you wondered what I did with all the cash Pekka Rollins gave us?"
"Guns?" asked Jesper.
"Ships?" queried Inej.
"Bombs?" suggested Wylan.
"Political bribes?" offered Nina. They all looked at Matthias. "This is where you tell us how awful we are," she whispered. — Leigh Bardugo

Charlie and I believe our four criteria are essential if directors are to do their job - which, by law, is to faithfully represent owners. Yet these criteria are usually ignored. Instead, consultants and CEOs seeking board candidates will often say, "We're looking for a woman," or "a Hispanic," or "someone from abroad," or what have you. It sometimes sounds as if the mission is to stock Noah's ark. Over the years I've been queried many times about potential directors and have yet to hear anyone ask, "Does he think like an intelligent owner?" The questions I instead — Warren Buffett

described the relatively low number of fatalities as a miracle.1 President Bill Clinton ordered his National Security Council to coordinate the response. Government agencies swung into action to find the culprits.The Counterterrorist Center located at the CIA combed its files and queried sources around the world. The National Security Agency (NSA), the huge Defense Department signals collection agency, ramped up its communications intercept network and searched its databases for clues.2 The New York Field Office of the FBI took control of the local investigation and, in the end, set a pattern for future management of terrorist incidents. Four features of this episode have significance for the story of 9/11. 71 — Anonymous

Good news?' Gloria queried. She wondered if Emily was pregnant again (was that good news?), so she was taken aback when Emily said, 'I've found Jesus.' 'Oh,' Gloria said. 'Where was he? — Kate Atkinson

A separate peace, Mrs. Cameron, is so declared. Now, let's go to see to young Master John Daniel Cameron." "John Daniel Cameron?" she queried. "Do you like it?" he asked. She leaned back in his arms, delighted, secure. "I love it," she assured him, and she curled her arms around his neck. "Just as I love his father! — Heather Graham

Raising an army of king's men with the king in an enemy prison?" Tuck queried. "What is difficult about that?" "I don't think he even has an army." "Well, that would make it slightly more tricky, I suppose," remarked Tuck. — Stephen R. Lawhead

Trade shows such as the wire tappers' ball are highly secretive and ban journalists from attending. None of the U.S. agencies that attended the wire tappers' ball - including the FBI, the Secret Service, and every branch of the military - were willing to comment when a reporter queried them about their attendance. — Rebecca MacKinnon

We can't go home," Joshua said at last. "I don't know enough yet." "No," said Gaspar, "I suspect that you don't. But you know all that you will learn here. If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you will use that boat to cross and it will serve you well, but once across the river, do you put the boat on your shoulders and carry it with you on the rest of your journey?" "How big is the boat?" I asked. "What color is the boat?" asked Joshua. "How far is the rest of the journey?" I queried. "Is Biff there to carry the oars, or do I have to carry everything?" asked Josh. "No!" screamed Gaspar. "No, you don't take the boat along on the journey. It has been useful but now it's simply a burden. It's a parable, you cretins! — Christopher Moore

On a scale of one to ten, how important is this?" I queried.
"Me doin' my bit so I don't feel like you're keepin' me?" he asked.
"Yes," I answered.
"Eighty-five. — Kristen Ashley

You eat donuts before you work out?" I queried. "Not every time, but do it occasionally to remind myself why I'm workin' out," he responded. This was absurd but I had to admit, it also made an absurd kind of sense. — Kristen Ashley

Senator LaFollette publicly charged that a money trust of fifty men controlled the United States. George F. Baker, partner of J.P. Morgan, on being queried by reporters as to the truth of the charge, replied that it was absolutely in error. He said that he knew from personal knowledge that not more than eight men ran this country. — Eustace Mullins

If you were in a drug store," said Stahr "-having a prescription filled-"
"You mean a chemist?" Boxley asked.
"If you were in a chemist's," conceded Stahr, "and you were getting a prescription for some member of your family who was very sick-"
"-Very ill?" queried Boxley.
"Very ill. Then whatever caught your attention through the window, whatever distracted you and held you would probably be material for pictures."
"A murder outside the window, you mean."
"There you go," said Stahr smiling. "It might be a spider working on the pane."
"Of course-I see."
"I'm afraid you don't, Mr. Boxley. You see it for your medium but not for ours. You keep the spiders for yourself and you try to pin the murders on us. — F Scott Fitzgerald

And I sort of felt her...you know."

Alan made an exaggerated shape of a heart.

"You touched her heart?" Mike queried.

"No! Her bum. It's sort of, you know, heart shaped. Big heart."

He flexed his fingers, remembering the feel of it. "Soft. — Angela Verdenius

He swam at my feet,
Powerful arms in broad strokes
Sweeping the sand.
So I asked this man,
What seas do you swim?
And to this he answered,
'I have seen shells and the like
On this desert floor,
So I swim this land's memory
Thus honouring its past,'
Is the journey far, queried I.
'I cannot say,' he replied,
'For I shall drown long before
I am done.'
Sayings of the Fool
Thenys Bule
Steven Erikson - Malazan Book of the Fallen 02
Deadhouse Gates — Steven Erikson

They are one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy - not actually evil, but bad tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous. They wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without an order, signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public enquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters. If you want to get a lift from a Vogon, forget it. They are vile and ill tempered. If you want to get a drink from a Vogon, stick your finger down his throat. If you want to annoy a vogon, feed his grandmother to the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal. — Douglas Adams

Why don't you purchase an Italian dictionary? I will assume the expense."
"I have one," she said, "but I don't think it's very good. Half the words are missing."
"Half?"
"Well, some," she amended. "But truly, that's not the problem."
He blinked, waiting for her to continue.
She did. Of course. "I don't think Italian is the author's native tongue," she said.
"The author of the dictionary?" he queried.
"Yes. It's not terribly idiomatic. — Julia Quinn

Has he been snatched up to heaven?" I queried. "They'd hardly have taken the pie too," said George. — Jerome K. Jerome

The brick is neither here nor there,' interrupted the stranger in an imposing fashion, 'it never merely falls on someone's head from out of nowhere. In your case, I can assure you that a brick poses no threat whatsoever. You will die another kind of death.
'And you know just what that will be?' queried Berlioz with perfectly understandable irony, letting himself be drawn into a truly absurd conversation. 'And can you tell me what that is?'
'Gladly,' replied the stranger. He took Berlioz's measure as if intending to make him a suit and muttered something through his teeth that sounded like 'One, two.. Mercury in the Second House ... the moon has set ... six-misfortune ... evening-seven ... ' Then he announced loudly and joyously, 'Your head will be cut off! — Mikhail Bulgakov

What's next?" I queried.
"Don't know, Josie. Just know whatever it is I want you to be a part of it and I hope like fuck you want the same. — Kristen Ashley

You are the minute hand and I am the hour hand. The female said and continued, "You move that's why I move." "And what about the second hand?" The man queried. "That's our love for each other. We move because, and only if, it moves. — Novoneel Chakraborty

Charlotte Stokehurst," Violet Bridgerton announced, "is getting married."
"Today?" Hyacinth queried, taking off her gloves.
Her mother gave her a look. "She has become engaged. Her mother told me this morning."
Hyacinth looked around. "Were you waiting for me in the hall?"
"To the Earl of Renton," Violet added. "Renton."
"Have we any tea?" Hyacinth asked. "I walked all the way home, and I'm thirsty."
"Renton!" Violet exclaimed, looking about ready to throw up her hands in despair. "Did you hear me?"
"Renton," Hyacinth said obligingly. "He has fat ankles."
"He's - " Violet stopped short. "Why were you looking at his ankles? — Julia Quinn

In that moment, Lisette loved that man.
Loud complaints erupted, accomplished by the usual slurs slung at the immortal black sheep.
Bastien shrugged them off as his gaze met hers.
Thank you, she told him telepatheically.
His lips tilted up the tiniest bit.
Unfortunately, Seth and David both picked up on the thought and turned back to her with matching frowns, gazes sharpening.
Merde.
"Why haven't you been around lately?" Seth queried. — Dianne Duvall

There were seven thermonuclear devices? queried Parks, who had latched on to Jack's outlandish explanation without too much difficulty, as should you. — Jasper Fforde

One night between sunset and river
On the old bridge we stood, you and I.
Will you ever forget it, I queried,
- That particular swift that went by?
And you answered, so earnestly: Never!
And what sobs made us suddenly shiver,
What a cry life emitted in flight!
Till we die, till tomorrow, for ever,
You and I on the old bridge one night. — Vladimir Nabokov

You all right?" Scott queried. "Sure. Why?" "You're quiet. That's not normal." "Just thinking." "Don't pull a muscle. — Angela Verdenius

Where do you think the money went?" he repeated.
"Guns?" asked Jesper.
"Ships?" queried Inej.
"Bombs?" suggested Wylan.
"Political bribes?" offered Nina. They all looked at Matthias. "This is where you tell us how awful we are," she whispered.
He shrugged. "They all seem like practical choices."
"Sugar," said Kaz.
Jesper nudged the sugar bowl down the table to him.
Kaz rolled his eyes. "Not for my coffee, you podge. I used the money to buy up sugar shares and placed them in private accounts for all of us - under aliases, of course."
"I don't like speculation," said Matthias.
"Of course you don't. You like things you can see. Like piles of snow and benevolent tree gods."
"Oh, there it is!" said Inej, resting her head on Nina's shoulder and beaming at Matthias. "I missed his glower. — Leigh Bardugo

Shocked?" Juliet queried, the light pink tint on her cheeks the only telling sign of her discomfort with the conversation.
He nodded. "Yes. I had no idea my little girl knew what fluffies were."
Juliet opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by more misguided innocence from Kate. "They're the fluffy things Juliet keeps hidden in her dress here and here," she said proudly, tapping her chest to indicate just where these fluffy objects were located.
Patrick blinked. "That's quite enough, Katie love. Why don't you go paint some flowers or something. I need to have a word alone with Juliet. — Rose Gordon

Miss Kinsley regarded him with the look of disgust girls reserved for snails and frogs. "Any man who would suggest to a young woman that she should elope rather than listen to her papa's advice can only be up to no good."
"Elope?" Oliver queried, his eyes narrowing on Miss Kinsley. "This scoundrel proposed marriage to you?"
"Now, Miss Kinsley," Nathan began in his best placating voice, "we both know it wasn't like-"
"Quiet!" Oliver snapped at him. "Or I swear not even Maria will keep me from throttling you."
Nathan swallowed. Hard. — Sabrina Jeffries

Lady Maccon."
"By George, Boots! How the deuce can you possibly tell that there is Lady Maccon?" queried the other top-hated gentleman.
"Who else would be standing in the middle of a street on full-moon night with a raging ruddy fire behind her, waving a parasol about?"
"Good point, good point. — Gail Carriger

The Hawks want to talk to you, Boss."
"The Hawks?" I queried, confusion wrinkling my brow.
Kir smiled and pulled me to my feet. "My gang are called the Hawks."
I threw him a sardonic look. "Why? Because you always catch your prey?"
He grinned wickedly. "Always, beautiful Rogan. Always. — Samantha Young

Was not Hypatia the greatest philosopher of Alexandria, and a true martyr to the old values of learning? She was torn to pieces by a mob of incensed Christians not because she was a woman, but because her learning was so profound, her skills at dialectic so extensive that she reduced all who queried her to embarrassed silence. They could not argue with her, so they murdered her. — Iain Pears

You do remember my brothers?" Anthony queried politely. "Benedict and Colin. Benedict I'm sure you recall from Eton. He was the one who dogged our footsteps for three months when he first arrived."
"Not true!" Benedict said with a laugh.
"I don't know if you've met Colin, actually," Anthony continued. "He was probably too young to have crossed your path."
"Pleased to meet you," Colin said jovially.
Simon noted the rascally glint in the young man's green eyes and couldn't help but smile in return.
"Anthony here has said such insulting things about you," Colin continued, his grin growing quite wicked, "that I know we're sure to be great friends."
Anthony rolled his eyes. "I'm certain you can understand why my mother is convinced that Colin will be the first of her children to drive her to insanity."
Colin said, "I pride myself on it, actually. — Julia Quinn

I don't deny that impulse drew us together, but while physical gratification began and ended it for you, in making love, dumbo here - - ' she jerked a thumb at her chest ' - was also demonstrating that she cared.'
His tongue moistened his lips. 'You're very up-front, aren't you?'
'You mean none of your other rejects have ever looked you in the eye and complained?' Sian queried. She might have made things easy last night, but she refused to make anything easy for him now. 'I suppose you'd prefer it if I shrugged my shoulders, muttered something about it being nice while it lasted, and filed the experience away under lessons learned? Well, sorry, but for me, and for most women if they're honest, going to bed with someone is a darn sight more complicated than that! — Elizabeth Oldfield